MARTIN: WE MUST BE AT OUR BEST

12 April 2013

Martin Allen looks forward to tomorrow's League Two match with Cheltenham Town

With promotion to League One already in the bag, Gillingham’s players head to Cheltenham Town tomorrow, knowing that if they equal Port Vale’s score then the League Two Championship will be heading to Kent.

Last weekend saw wild celebrations at Priestfield but Martin Allen revealed that he and the players were straight back to work this week, with one focus in mind, “The players had a couple of days off and then trained on Tuesday.

“I just watched and there were an awful lot of supporters there which was nice. Since the game we have just been preparing for this one and with the way results have gone this week, if we win, we will win it [the title].

“We did say a couple of weeks ago what the challenge was. Saturday was nice for everybody but if we win tomorrow we will win and that’s all I have been talking about.”

The two sides could not be separated in the return fixture at MEMS Priestfield Stadium in November which ended in a 0-0 draw and Martin knows the Robins will give his team a real test, adding, “There is only one thing we have to do and that’s to go there and put in a great performance because they are very, very good at home so we’ve got to be at our best.

“They are in the play-offs already so they haven’t got too much to worry about – they are done and dusted really but they want to get momentum going. They have some good players and Mark Yates has done a fantastic job and it will be a very special day for me.”

Martin’s own tenure at Whaddon Road did not go the way he had hoped and the Gills boss admits it was hugely disappointing for him, “Let’s not hide from it, I didn’t do a very good job there and I was more disappointed and saddened about it than anybody.

“There is nothing I can do about it now, I have apologised. I accepted my role and my responsibilities and didn’t do what I had hoped to do. I made too many changes too quickly and I don’t think my personality and character fitted that football club at the time.

“It’s a shame and it was very sad for me personally, having spent so many years there as a little boy following my Dad’s team. Come Saturday all of that goes out of the window and I just have to go there and do my job.

“I have massive respect for the Cheltenham supporters and I certainly won’t be going out on the pitch or anything like that. I just want to get the job done.”